Understanding the School Revolution: What Are Academies and Free Schools?
As education policy becomes a central battleground in the upcoming general election, the debate over the structure of state schooling has intensified. At the heart of the controversy are two types of schools that have reshaped the educational landscape over the past decade: academies and free schools.
With the Conservatives pledging to expand the programme and with Labour and the Lib Dems promising to curb it, here is a guide to what these schools are and why they are dividing political opinion.
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With the Conservatives pledging to expand the programme and with Labour and the Lib Dems promising to curb it, here is a guide to what these schools are and why they are dividing political opinion.
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What is an Academy?
Academies are state schools that are independent of local authority control. Unlike traditional 'maintained' schools, which are funded by local councils, academies receive funding directly from the central government via a funding agreement with the Department for Education.
There are generally two types of academies:
Sponsored Academies: These are usually previously underperforming maintained schools that have been compelled to become academies. They are taken over by an external organisation—known as a sponsor—which is responsible for improving standards.
Converter Academies: These are previously outstanding or good maintained schools that have voluntarily chosen to become academies, gaining greater autonomy in the process.
What are Free Schools?
Free schools are legally academies and enjoy the same range of freedoms. However, unlike academies, which are conversions of existing state schools, free schools are entirely new institutions.
They are established in response to proposals from groups of educators, parents, charities, or others. They can be brand-new builds or former independent schools entering the state sector. The first 23 free schools opened in September 2011; by September 2014, that number had risen to 241.
The Powers and Freedoms
The primary argument for academies and free schools is autonomy. Unlike maintained schools, they do not have to follow the national curriculum, and they have more flexibility over their finances and the length of their school terms. They can also hire teachers without formal teaching qualifications.
However, critics argue that these freedoms have not always been utilised and that the rapid expansion of the programme has created new problems.
The Explosion in Numbers
The academy programme was originally introduced under the Labour government to turn around failing secondary schools. However, it became a defining feature of policy during the 2010 coalition government.
Under the previous government, the number of academies surged from just 200 in May 2010 to over 4,500 by March 2015. This growth was driven by three factors:
Voluntary Conversion: Inviting all schools to convert if they wished.
Legal Presumption: The Education Act 2011 established that all new state schools should be academies or free schools.
Compulsion: Underperforming schools were forced to convert.
Areas of Concern
Despite the government's assertion that academies raise attainment and drive up standards in local areas, significant concerns remain regarding the rapid expansion:
Teaching Standards: Because academies are not bound by the national curriculum, critics worry that what children are taught is less prescribed. The ability to hire unqualified teachers has also raised fears of a drop in quality.
Conflicts of Interest: Sponsored academies are run by external organisations or businesses. Critics suggest that the relationship between the school and the sponsor can lead to conflicts, particularly regarding the appointment of senior staff and the procurement of services.
Meeting the Need for Places: Free schools are established outside of local authority planning. Critics argue this can lead to poor value for money if free schools are opened in areas with already high provision, while leaving other areas with shortages of school places.
Centralisation: While academies are independent of local councils, they are answerable to the government department for education. Some argue this has simply replaced local bureaucracy with central government control. Furthermore, schools within large academy chains may have less autonomy than they did under local authority control.
The Political Future
The future of the programme is a key dividing line between the major parties as the next general election approaches.
The Conservatives have pledged to expand the programme further. Former Prime Minister David Cameron announced plans to compulsorily convert schools rated by Ofsted as, "requiring improvement"—a step currently reserved for inadequate schools.
"I’m very proud of the school reforms we put in place after 2010", Mr. Cameron said. "With free schools, we went much further. The results are in and their success is clear".
The Labour Party, however, has indicated it would restrict certain academy freedoms, particularly regarding the curriculum and the hiring of unqualified teachers. Labour has pledged to end the free schools programme entirely, arguing that resources should be focused on improving existing schools.
The Liberal Democrats have taken a middle ground, stating they would repeal the rule that all new state-funded schools must be free schools or academies.
As the House of Lords debates the future of these reforms, the structure of the English school system hangs in the balance, with the potential for a significant shift depending on the election outcome.
Academies are state schools that are independent of local authority control. Unlike traditional 'maintained' schools, which are funded by local councils, academies receive funding directly from the central government via a funding agreement with the Department for Education.
There are generally two types of academies:
Sponsored Academies: These are usually previously underperforming maintained schools that have been compelled to become academies. They are taken over by an external organisation—known as a sponsor—which is responsible for improving standards.
Converter Academies: These are previously outstanding or good maintained schools that have voluntarily chosen to become academies, gaining greater autonomy in the process.
What are Free Schools?
Free schools are legally academies and enjoy the same range of freedoms. However, unlike academies, which are conversions of existing state schools, free schools are entirely new institutions.
They are established in response to proposals from groups of educators, parents, charities, or others. They can be brand-new builds or former independent schools entering the state sector. The first 23 free schools opened in September 2011; by September 2014, that number had risen to 241.
The Powers and Freedoms
The primary argument for academies and free schools is autonomy. Unlike maintained schools, they do not have to follow the national curriculum, and they have more flexibility over their finances and the length of their school terms. They can also hire teachers without formal teaching qualifications.
However, critics argue that these freedoms have not always been utilised and that the rapid expansion of the programme has created new problems.
The Explosion in Numbers
The academy programme was originally introduced under the Labour government to turn around failing secondary schools. However, it became a defining feature of policy during the 2010 coalition government.
Under the previous government, the number of academies surged from just 200 in May 2010 to over 4,500 by March 2015. This growth was driven by three factors:
Voluntary Conversion: Inviting all schools to convert if they wished.
Legal Presumption: The Education Act 2011 established that all new state schools should be academies or free schools.
Compulsion: Underperforming schools were forced to convert.
Areas of Concern
Despite the government's assertion that academies raise attainment and drive up standards in local areas, significant concerns remain regarding the rapid expansion:
Teaching Standards: Because academies are not bound by the national curriculum, critics worry that what children are taught is less prescribed. The ability to hire unqualified teachers has also raised fears of a drop in quality.
Conflicts of Interest: Sponsored academies are run by external organisations or businesses. Critics suggest that the relationship between the school and the sponsor can lead to conflicts, particularly regarding the appointment of senior staff and the procurement of services.
Meeting the Need for Places: Free schools are established outside of local authority planning. Critics argue this can lead to poor value for money if free schools are opened in areas with already high provision, while leaving other areas with shortages of school places.
Centralisation: While academies are independent of local councils, they are answerable to the government department for education. Some argue this has simply replaced local bureaucracy with central government control. Furthermore, schools within large academy chains may have less autonomy than they did under local authority control.
The Political Future
The future of the programme is a key dividing line between the major parties as the next general election approaches.
The Conservatives have pledged to expand the programme further. Former Prime Minister David Cameron announced plans to compulsorily convert schools rated by Ofsted as, "requiring improvement"—a step currently reserved for inadequate schools.
"I’m very proud of the school reforms we put in place after 2010", Mr. Cameron said. "With free schools, we went much further. The results are in and their success is clear".
The Labour Party, however, has indicated it would restrict certain academy freedoms, particularly regarding the curriculum and the hiring of unqualified teachers. Labour has pledged to end the free schools programme entirely, arguing that resources should be focused on improving existing schools.
The Liberal Democrats have taken a middle ground, stating they would repeal the rule that all new state-funded schools must be free schools or academies.
As the House of Lords debates the future of these reforms, the structure of the English school system hangs in the balance, with the potential for a significant shift depending on the election outcome.
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